MLB.com's Carrie Muskat has been covering Major League Baseball since 1981 and is the author of "Banks to Sandberg to Grace: Five Decades of Love and Frustration with the Cubs." You can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat. Here, she blogs about the Cubs.

11/16 AFL final update

The Mesa Solar Sox ended the Arizona Fall League season on Thursday with an 8-3 loss to Phoenix. Cubs prospect Matt Szczur was 0-for-4, and finished his AFL stint batting .264. Logan Watkins, a late add to take Javier Baez’s place on the roster, batted .219 in nine games, and Rubi Silva batted .206 in 20 games. Among the Cubs pitching prospects who took part, Dae-Eun Rhee posted a 6.27 ERA in six games, giving up 13 earned runs over 18 2/3 innings in six starts. Nick Struck, the Cubs’ Minor League pitcher of the year, compiled a 5.51 ERA in 12 appearances, giving up 10 earned runs on 12 hits and 12 walks over 16 1/3 innings. Kevin Rhoderick served up five runs on seven hits and struck out 14 over 9 1/3 innings. Tony Zych posted a 3.86 ERA in 13 games, giving up 18 hits and walking two over 14 innings. Peoria and Salt River will play for the AFL championship on Saturday at Scottsdale Stadium.

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